~Article by Jacob Rabinovitch~
Many teas come from Asia and as the birthplace of tea, it's easy to think of China as the leader of the industry. That being said, there is a younger participant in the industry that has made a lot of headway in terms of tea innovation and production and has become the largest exporter of tea in the world: Kenya.
Given its favorable conditions, Kenya is today's largest exporter of tea in terms of volume and one of the youngest tea producers to enter the industry. The terroir is extremely favorable for tea growth due to many different environmental factors including high elevation in the mountains and a surplus of rich volcanic soil. This allows the tea farmers in Kenya to grow a massive surplus and harvest some of the worlds best teas year round. While Kenya produces and harvests many different types of teas, one unique tea that is native to the country is the Kenyan Purple Tea.
Purple Leaf Tea is a cultivar of Camellia Sinensis which was developed in Kenya about 25 years ago. It is called Purple Leaf Tea for it’s signature purple glowing leaves which are rich in color because of the high level of antioxidants found in them; it has even more antioxidants than Green Tea! This unique tasting tea has a very similar flavor of a smooth green tea, but rather than having a grassy taste has more prominent notes of melon and honey. Another reason many love Purple Tea is because of its lower caffeine concentration, so it’s perfect for that afternoon antioxidant boost. Fun fact! Did you know that if you add lemon juice to purple tea it changes color? Squeeze a few drops of lemon juice into your own cup and watch the color change from gold to peach!
Looking to try some delicious Kenyan tea for yourself? We have you covered! Head on over to our shop and try out our very own Purple Leaf Tea, Nandi Hills Black Tea, and Glowing Green Tea! The Nandi Hills Black is a flavorful black tea that has high caffeine levels, making it that perfect morning caffeine boost. The Glowing Green Tea is a tasty green tea with flavor notes of seaweed and toasted oats but with a lower caffeine level, making it a great afternoon cup of tea to ensure you still get your sleep.
~About Jacob, the author~
My name is Jacob and I'm a creative originally from San Francisco. I'm an up and coming DJ and recently moved to Los Angeles to be closer to the heart of the music scene. I love to talk to people and learn about what they do and what their story is. My favorite tea is hands down the Blue People Oolong because it have a really unique sweet aftertaste that I love.